FROCKS FOR SCHOOLGIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 3, 28 September 1907, Page 3

FROCKS FOR SCHOOLGIRLS.

It is a rarity to see girls of twelve to fifteen prettily and becomingly dressed, and it must be confessed that! it is somewhat puzzling to clotho one's daughters at this transition stage, between romping; childhood and dignified girlhood. More frequently than not their limbs arc thin, lanky and uasymmetrical, their movements awkward and stiff.. The girl is too old to wear.her skirts smartly short, and yet not old enough to ascend to the 'dignity of long dresses; in fact, her wardrobe demands much care and attention, and by many mothers tho particular uceds in this, respect of tho daughter between twelve and liftcen are somewhat overlooked, not from any lack of affection, but simply hecauso parents aro apt to forget.tuat thero is any stage of dress between riio nursery and grown girlhood. ■ To start with, it is not always wise to insist upon two girls because they aro sisters being dressed alike. Very frequently they' aro totally dissimilar in appearance, and sometimes, too, tho gap of four or live years in ago between -.thorn, is. a strong reason why they should not be made twins. What will suit Kitty of eight will, of ten look childish and unbecoming on her sistci of fifteen; then, if the girls aro near an ago, ono will perhaps be short and ■plump, 1 and the other exactly opposite. It is, therefore, quite easy to see how wrong, from an artistic point of view, rtis to dress one's youthful daughters after the same pattern. It is certainly nice to choose tho same colours and material when purchasing.now things; but then have frock or coat made up with due regard to the personal appearance of each wearer'. For hard wear, .sorgo must bo commended for tho growing girl's everyday frock; but for better wear,"a nice cloth or a pretty mohair-is charming Patterned 'and fancy stuffs are. seldom suitable; they arc too elderly and stilf for the attiro of youth. ■ A great many frocks of washable materials are seen. . Linen will be particularly good for dressy wear, and in this same category wliito sorgo and ■mohair may be mentioned, h'or general use tho butcher's linen'will be a great favourite. Linen has much to' recommend, it. It u.-.i-.aily wears well —much bettor than many other materials. Duck also will bo worn. Madras and materials of this nature, however, will receive a great doai of attention. Elfoitn to introduce ■them in mercerised forms have been mauo with charming success. Girls from twelve to about fifteen or sixteen years.of ago are all so totally different in height that it is not possible to have <.n.y special style of dress restricted to any particular ago. Some girls of twelve or thirteen, for example, are small enough to Icok weil-in the simplest dress, while others again hav'o attained to very noavlv thoir full height at that age, and must have their skirts long enough to bo graceful and their dresses must have some reference to fit and figure. It is as great a ■injstako to dress a growing girl in too" juvenile a maimer as it is to allow her to wear long skirts and put up her hair before she is old enough to, have some natural dignity. An .unusually tall girl may put on long skirts at sixteen, while most girls of this _ age look better in skirts just I clearing the ground.